Description
This is hands down the most soul-warming, lip-smacking soup you never knew you needed. Picture this: tender shredded chicken swimming in a bright, lemony broth that’s been kissed with fresh dill and loaded with fluffy pearl couscous that soaks up all those incredible flavors. It’s like Greek avgolemono’s cooler, more approachable cousin who went to culinary school and came back with serious skills. This soup is sunshine in a spoon — comforting enough for sick days but fancy enough when your mother-in-law drops by unexpectedly. My husband literally said, “This tastes like vacation,” and honestly? He wasn’t wrong. It’s Mediterranean vibes without the plane ticket.
Ingredients
For the Soup Base:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 carrots, sliced into rounds
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth (the good stuff, not the sad box kind)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried oregano
For the Stars:
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie works perfectly)
- 1 cup pearl couscous (or Israeli couscous)
- Zest of 2 lemons
- Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped (don’t even think about using dried)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Finishing Touch:
- Extra fresh dill for garnish
- Cracked black pepper
- Good olive oil for drizzling
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery — the holy trinity of soup goodness. Sauté for about 8 minutes until everything starts to soften and smell amazing. Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Pour in the chicken broth, add bay leaves and oregano. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes. This is where the magic starts happening — all those vegetables are releasing their flavors into that golden broth.
Add the pearl couscous to the simmering soup. Cook for about 10-12 minutes until the couscous is tender but still has a little bite. Don’t overcook it — nobody wants mushy couscous floating around.
Stir in the shredded chicken and let it warm through for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat (this is important!) and then add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh dill. The residual heat will warm everything without cooking the life out of that beautiful dill.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Remember, you want that lemon to shine but not overpower everything else. Remove those bay leaves because nobody wants to bite into one of those.
Ladle into bowls and top with extra fresh dill, cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of good olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges on the side because some people are lemon fiends (like me).
Notes
This soup is perfect with warm pita bread or crusty sourdough for dipping. If you want to make it a full meal, serve with a Greek village salad (cucumber, tomatoes, olives, feta) and call it a Mediterranean feast. A crisp white wine like Assyrtiko or Pinot Grigio pairs beautifully.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: ~320 kcal per serving
- Protein: ~28g